9/13/2013

Lazy or not lazy ...

... that's the question.
Not lazy, I promise, even if my blog looks neglected except for the finds and the quotes. Okay, okay, it has been neglected, but I did have my reasons.
One of them is a fundraiser I am still doing for a friend of mine and her cats to help out with vet bills. It's the chance to get an original Cat's Wire piece at a great price and get some grateful cats' purrs on top.
You can check out what's still available in the "Perry and his pals" album on Facebook. If you are not on Facebook, but are still interested in a piece, you can write to cat@catswire.com and I'll be happy to tell you more. Some of the pieces were made just for this album.

I have also been working on two orders and I started putting rocks and pearls into handmade wire knit ropes like in these two pieces.
The long one is for me since the rocks were a gift, the other one was made for a JAC challenge that you will hear more about later this month.




The urge to put more things into the ropes is almost overwhelming, I can tell you! It will have to wait a bit longer, though. There is this still very secret project I am working on, one that I am very excited about.
I could really use more time, a few more arms and a huge chai supply!!

9/08/2013

Quote of the week

Today I'm going to take you back a family that I introduced to you in June 2012.

The daughter of Phil and Claire, Haley, has decided to move in with her boyfriend Dylan right after highschool. Haley and Dylan are convinced they'll make it, her parents are not quite so convinced, mostly because they know both her daughter and Dylan.
I think Phil makes the best point ever in such a discussion.
For all of you IKEA lovers out there ...

Claire: Um, at first, it's a blast. Buying a dish rack, hanging a sheet up to turn one room into two.
Phil: Allen-wrenching a bookcase called a "Njarnk" because you couldn't afford the "Sklurg".



*gasp* Can you imagine having to do with the "Njarnk" instead of the "Sklurg"??? I don't even want to think about it!!!
;-)

Modern Family, USA, 2009 -

8/25/2013

Quote of the week

Someone on IMDb called this movie "comfort food" and that's just what it is. It is hilariously silly, nonsensical and to this day I tell people if I paid something for them "I want my two dollars!" which is really a quote in itself, but not the one I chose for today.

Lane is a typical teenager. He drives an old car, he's trying to get by, be one of the popular kids, and goes out with his girlfriend Beth. His enemies on the road are two guys who not only drive a faster car, but one of which also likes to announce this over big speakers on their car roof, talking like Howard Cosell.

Then Lane gets dumped by Beth and is devastated. He's on his way home when the two pull up next to him.

"Truly a sight to behold. A man, beaten. The once great champ, now a study in moppishness. No longer the victory-hungry stallion we've raced so many times before, but a pathetic, washed-up, aged ex-champion."
Lane puts his (slightly eccentric) racing gear on, yells "All right, let's go!"  ... and drives right into the car in front of him. If only he knew that is just the beginning ...



Better Off Dead, USA, 1985

8/21/2013

Give me a pair of lampwork beads ...

... and I'll make you a pair of earrings. Give a whole bunch of artists a pair of lampwork beads each, you'll get some very different earrings.
That's what we found out when we had the lampwork earring challenge at the Jewelry Artisans Community.
Our very own Nicole from N Valentine Studio generously donated the lampwork beads which arrived in an incredibly short time, even from Canada to Germany and the UK!



And here's what we did with them.

Caroline, our Crafty Chimp, says she doesn't prefer her earrings to be too fancy. Nothing like a pair of danglies is what I say!




Our next member to finish her earrings was Michele from MCStoneworks. One of Michele's specialties is to use patinas on her beautiful pieces. To pick up the yellow from the beads, she turned the birdies yellow, too!



I started to get nervous, so I put in an extra shift ;-) I'll show you mine at the end, though.

Dawn from Jewelry Art by Dawn loved how there was blue on both sides of the beads, so she decided to try something else and turned them sideways. She also found the perfect matching lapis beads to go with them.



We are still waiting for two more members to post their earrings, but we don't want to be impatient. Do we? DO WE???
Nah, we are not pushy and I'll make sure that you get to see what they made, too.


And last, but hopefully not least these are my earrings.
I settled for fall colors and crocheted hoops from brown copper wire with a mix of seed beads.



If you are game, you'll find the whole thread about the challenge here. We'd be happy to welcome you in our community and if you are a jewelry artisan yourself, why don't you share your work with us?

8/18/2013

Quote of the week

Sean and Claudia, an Irish-Italian couple who had to get married at an early age, lead a conventional life with their three kids in their house on Staten Island. Do they really?
Today's quote is from the time when Eddie, Sean's brother, who has loads of dark secrets decides to put up a yard sale ... at Sean's house.

Claudia's coming into the house holding a toaster.

Eddie: Ah Claudia, I see you're interested in the toaster.
Claudia: Yes, Eddie, I'm interested in the toaster because the toaster is mine!
Eddie: How often do you actually use that thing??
Claudia: Still got my toast in it!!


Little does she know that she'll have to run after her porch swing in a little while to buy it back ... 

Grounded For Life, USA, 2001 - 2005

8/11/2013

Quote of the week

Today's quote is about .... love.

Sam's mum just died and his stepdad Daniel is worried about his behavior. Sitting on a bench together they get to the core of the problem.

Daniel: So, what's the problem, Samuel? Is it just Mum or is it something else, huh? Maybe school? Are you being bullied? Or is it something worse? Can you give me any clues at all? 
Sam: You really want to know?
Daniel: I really want to know.
Sam: Even though you won't be able to do anything to help?
Daniel: Even if that's the case, yeah.
Sam: Ok. Well ... truth is, actually ... I'm in love.
Daniel: Sorry?
Sam: I know I should be thinking about Mum and I am, but the truth is I'm in love. I was before she died and there's nothing I can do about it.
Daniel: Aren't you a bit young to be in love?
Sam: No.
Daniel: Ah, well. Ok, well ... I'm a little relieved.
Sam: Why?
Daniel: Because I thought it'd be something worse!
Sam: Worse than the total agony of being in love?
Daniel: Er ... No, you're right. Total agony.



Do you remember your first love?

Love actually, UK/USA/F, 2003

P.S. I was in a bit of a hurry - after all I have a new electronic thingy to hook up and I have to watch the latest movie with my favorite Indian actor -  and a very real cat tail on my keyboard didn't make it easy for me to write, but it was still better than trying to write with the whole cat on my shoulder. That's why you won't get a big intro this time.

8/04/2013

Quote of the week

I wasn't a flower child myself, but being born in the mid-60s today's movie still gives me a flashback of my childhood. Who needs a believable story if they can have fun? Of course I rather do like roadmovies anyway, and I do love this movie.

1989. Hardcore FBI agent John Buckner is supposed to escort old hippie Huey Walker to jail for an offence from 20 years ago. Things do not quite go the way as they are planned. Huey escapes from the train in John's clothes, John ends up in jail and Huey gets himself abducted by two guys mourning the loss of the 60s because they think that he is the FBI man and want to exchange him for their hero.
When the two go down to the cellar where they keep him tied up, they agree on disguising their voices, so he won't recognize them from the bar where they met earlier ...



Barry (talking in a funny voice): We're gonna exchange you for Huey Walker.
Huey: I can't believe this. I've been abducted by the Vienna Boys' Choir!
Barry: Ah-ah, we're desperate men!
Huey (imitating Barry's voice): Well, you sound more like desperate women!
Barry (in a deep voice): Don't push it, buddy.

Flashback, USA, 1990